How to Say "we waited" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “we waited” is “esperamos” — A2 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Esperamos en la sala de espera por más de una hora.
We waited in the waiting room for more than an hour.
Esperamos su llamada toda la tarde.
We waited for his call all afternoon.
Esperamos que el viaje fuera fácil, pero no lo fue.
We hoped the trip would be easy, but it wasn't.
Present vs. Past Ambiguity
The form 'esperamos' is identical for 'we wait' (Present) and 'we waited' (Preterite). You must rely on time markers (like 'ayer,' 'la semana pasada') or the surrounding conversation to know which tense is being used.
Completed Action
When 'esperamos' is used in the past, it implies the waiting or hoping had a clear beginning and end, like 'We waited exactly three hours and then left.'
Using Imperfect Instead of Preterite
Mistake: “Using *esperábamos* (we were waiting) when referring to a single, completed action.”
Correction: Use *esperamos* (Preterite) for actions that finished, like 'We waited one hour.' Use *esperábamos* (Imperfect) for ongoing, descriptive background actions.
Related Translations
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